Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Japan-woman-dies-tick-disease-bitten-sick-cat

Japan woman dies of tick disease after bitten by sick cat

Human-to-human infections of the tick virus through blood contact have been reported, but Japanese health officials believe the woman's death could be the first case of a human dying from the bite of an infected animal (AFP Photo/BERTRAND GUAY)

Tokyo (AFP) - A Japanese woman has died from a tick-borne virus after being bitten by a stray cat in what is possibly the world's first animal-to-human transmission of the disease.

The woman in her 50s died some 10 days after being bitten by the cat last year after she took the animal to a veterinary hospital.

Authorities have since confirmed that she developed SFTS, a disease transmitted by bites from a certain group of virus-carrying ticks.

Human-to-human infections of the tick virus through blood contact have been reported, but ministry officials believe the Japanese woman's death could be the first case of a human dying from the bite of an infected animal.

"No reports on animal-to-human transmission cases have been made so far," a health ministry official told AFP on Tuesday.

"It's still not confirmed the virus came from the cat, but it's possible that it's the (world's) first case," she said.

Another official said there were no signs the woman had been bitten by a tick.

About Me

Grew up in a rural area, farming and logging and construction filled my life with many skills. Yet my heart as always followed a simpler life. It has been for the love of nature and all it entails that has led me to happier place full of adventures, great and small, trying never to miss the opportunity to help each and everyone.